Method and mechanism for producing musical sounds.



G. BREED. METHOD AND MECHANISM POR PRODUC'ING MUSICAL SOUNDS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2s, 1909.

' rOfe. .v 2 h. M

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

stiulndcan be varied at 2o desired part tio'n in the operation of currentv L1, thence through graphite), the r.

permitfthe spring to Unrrnn sfra'rns PATENT @FERIE GEORGE BREED, or rHiLADntrHA, PENSYLVANIA. Assiettes 'ro THE LYRACHORD COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A conPoRTIoN or NEW YORK.

. Mn'rrion Ann ivrECiIAiiisM R rrtoDUCrnGl iviusicAL soUNDs.

1d ,mechanism for, proc ucing 1insical sounds whereby sonorous members are vibrated electro-magnetically by av piilsatingcnrent nndercontrol of the peiformr so that tli electromagnetic `action and the voltiiiie of will, the primary 'object effected being the vrovisi'oii of an, in sti'u'melit, and part-iculard i a piano in which the currentv is automatically regulated to substantially constant. effective value, any

in .i'ctiiig the electro-magnetic action, the tones sustained indefinitely, and their volanni) 'i varied (swelled or diminished) 4 ally or abruptly at the will of the performer means of the u snal key s.

' In' the `acc'oinpanying` drawings," Figurel is a" diagrammatic view representing an tipplicatin of my invention; andFig. Q i's a sectional view represent-ing a second posithe switch mechanism shown in Fig. 1.- a f The means embodying the inve tion, as shown in the drawings, col'npiis'ie tiepiano string 1, the electro-magnet 2 disposed so 35 that when excited it. will attract the string,

the piano key ,3 haiiing thereon the boss 3, the compound switch disposed sothat it can be operated by means of theboss, the pulsator 5 ior regulating and pulsatin'gthe which excites the electro-magnet, and the battery 6 which -supplislhe current. The current flows from the battery 6 through the conductor 10 to the pulsator 5, thence through the coiiducto'r Q to the switch the conductor S to the electro-magnet 2 and thence by the conductor 7- back to the battery.

The pulsator consists of t-he contat-thiemlbers 5t and l5", ret'erably of carbon or esilient wire 5d carrying the the tine wire 5, held at the desired tension by the spring 5? adjusted hy Athe screw 5, the line wire expandingwhen heated by current passing therethrough to separate the contacts contactA 5e, `and specification o'f Letters Patent. 4.;- f-i -.f, Application filed seiitembr 2a, isos.

aiidctintracting to clpse the contacts upon cooling diie to the interruptionof the current. The pulsator thus rapidly interrupts the current andv provides resist-,ance effecting a desired limitation cf the effective value thereof, thenni'ean fective current being preterablyliinitcl thereby to approximately Jzampeifj llhe Contact 5 is duplicated for each key and 5f may be so duplicated orinay be con'imon to several confacts The switch consist-s tit the resilient contact ein connected with they conductor tl, the

with the conductor through the conductor of suoli current vtlhentilized' 1Q, the switch lever 11, thecOnt'aCt 11u and the conductor 13. The inner ends of the contacts 4F, et, il?, and if normally engage the conductors 14,' 15,16, and 17, while the inner end of the.- contact #1g is fixed to the contact if andits o 'uter end is free. The outer ends of Athe contacts 4, '1", and et@ are normally hld, ,by their resiliency, against the underside 'ofthe insulation 4 of a hook :i 1:, cidental-engagement.

The conductor 14- conta'iiis the resistance coil l-laand is connected with the conductor 15. The conductor 15 contains the resistance coil 15a ain is connected with the conductor 16. The conductor 1li contains the resistance coil 16 and is connected with Athe conductor 17. The conductor 1T contains the resistance coil 17n and is connected with the conductor The switch t is carried on a board 1S connected by the hinge 19 with thetable Q0 and the board supported by a pin 21 movable vertically through the table. wedge 22, movable in a way ZSbene-ath the table, carries the pin 21. When the wedge 2,2 is moved inwardly, the 21 drops and perl 18 to drop,

mits the board switch 4 is withdrawn fro the range ot' travel of the key boss 3', and the electromagnetic mechanism is thrown out. of action. lli-'hen the wedge is drawn outwardly, the pin and the board are elevated, whereby the switch is held in position to be acted upon the key. Then no cti'rrentor little current 1s Ilowresilient cont-act at connected with the con-J 49', by Whichsuch contacts are kept from ac-' whereby the `Way of the electro-magnet through, it elongates and permits the spring l 5d to with-draw the contact from the contact 5f, whereby the circuit 1s broken; when the Wire 5c cools, the contacts reengage;

whereby an automatic adjustment of the pulsator is provided to effect rapid pulsations in the current, the current is regulated, and sticking is prevented.

ln operation, when the switch lever ll is in the open position and the circuit therethrough broken, if the performer presses down the key 3 until tbe. contacts la and et-b engage, the tull volume of current flows-1 therethrough, from the battery by Way orn the pulsator, to the electro-magnet and thence back to the battery, and the full volume ot sound is obtained due to the maximum amplitude of vibration ot the string, the. other switch contacts and the resistance coils being out of circuit. It the key be pressed down farther, until the Contact 4f engages the Contact 4g, the current is divided so that part of it Will .tlow by way of the shunt circuit 17 and the resistance coil 17a back to the battery, and only the remaining part will flow by Way of the conductor IS and the electro-magnet 2 back to the battery, hence the force rented by the magnet, the amplitude of the. vibrations of the string and the volume ot sound are reduced. It' the key be pressed down farther, until the niembe1 /l-f is disengaged from the conductor l?, a smaller portion of the current will be shunted through the conductors 4f, te and 1G by Way ot' the coils i6 and 17 and a larger part 'of the current will flow through the conductor 8 and the electro-magnet 2, hence the vibrations of the str-infr and the volume of sound will be increased. if the key be pressed down farther so that the member is disengaged from the conductor 1G, a still smaller part of the current will be shunted by Way of the coils l5, 15b and 17?, connected by the conductor l5 with the member ed fwhich is connected by the members el? and 4g Twith the meml and a larger part of the current will ttor: by Way of the electro- .magnet from the member et", so that the volume of sound will be further increased. lt the key be pressed down iarther so that the member ed is disengaged from the con duc-,tor l5, a still smaller part ot the currentwill ilow by Way of the coils Ll, 15a, 16a, and 1T?. connected by the conductor lef-l `with the member d, which is connectml by Ithe couductors a and 4t; with the member 4a, and a still larger amount of current Awill flow by 2 connected by the conductor t3' with the member fr, hence 4the volume ot sound creased. If the key be pressed down still farther,

must liow through the initial `full volume of sound will be prou'ien'ibers brought n the key, the amount of current LO will be further inuntil the member 4c is separated from the conductor 14, all of the current the electro-magnet and duced. Il now the switch lever ll is brought into engagement with the point 11, upon depressing the key 3 and engaging the contact 4b wit-l1 the contact 4, part oi the current will dow by way of the conduct-ors da, 8, l2, ll, 113,413, 4f, 17 and 17a to the conductor 7 and back to the battery, While the remainder will tlow by way of the conductor 8 to the electro-magnet 2, hence the initial volume ot' sound .is now less than the maximum. Upon further depressing the key il and engaging the contacts 4th, 4 and 4g, with Separation of the contact if from the conductor l?, a smaller part of the current will flow from the conductor conductors i2, l1, l2-3, de, 16, 16a, and i7 back to the battery, While the remainder {toutsthrough 'the electro-magnet 2, hence the volume of sound has been increased by the further depression of the key. Upon still further depressing the key 3, the Contact fl-l is separated from the conductor 1G and a smaller amount of current will flow from the conductor S by Way of the conductors l2, 11, 13, 4d, l5, l5, 16.a and 17, 'While the remainder will How through the electromagnet 2; hence the volume of sound will have been increased further. Upon still. further depressing the key 3, the contact l-'l is separated from the contact l5 and a smaller amount of current .flows from the conductor 8 by Way of the conductors l2, Il, i3, 4, 14, 14a, 15, 16a, and 17, While the larger remainder Hows by way ot' the electro-magnet 2; hence the volume of sound will be still further increased. Upon still further depressing the key 3 and separating the contact 4C from the conductor l-t, the conductor 13 is out out. of circuit and all oi the current will pass through the electromagnet 2; hence the largest volume of sound will be produced in the lowermost position ot the key. Consequently' With the switch .ll closed., the volume of sound is gradually increased from the minimum to the maximum as the key 1s gradually moved down.

lt Will be seen from the foregoing description that by the combination of a piano string and key with a circuit having contacts adapted to be controlled by the key and containing an electro-magnetl and pulsator adapted for vibrating the string, the full volume of tone can be obtained when all oi' the current is passed through the electromagnet, While by the use of the shunt circuits containing the resistance coils and the switching mechanism having the resilient into operation successively by 8 by Way oi the i passing through the electro-magnet caribe Vsounds which consists in electro-magnetically actuating a sonorous member by a pulsating current and automatically 4regulating the exciting current to a substantially constant eective value.

2. The method of producing musical sounds vwhich consists in electro-magnetically actuating a sonorous member by a pulsating cur rent, automatically 'regulating the exciting current to a substantially constant effective value, and utilizing any desired portion of said currentkfor producing the electro-inagnetic action.

3. The mechanism for producing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member, in combination with a circuit containing-an electro-magnet in the field of which said sonorous member is disposed and self-adjusting means for pulsating the current and regulating the amount thereof supplied to said electro-magnet.

4. The mechanism for producing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member,

a circuitcontaining an electro-magnet in the field of which said sonorous member is disposed and a device for pulsating the current and automatically regulating the amount thereof supplied to said electro-magnet, and means whereby the current so regulated is divided and the desired portion thereof supplied to said electro-magnet.

5. The mechanism for producing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member, in combination with a circuit containing means for effecting the vibration of said member and a pulsator having a pair of contacts and a conductor acting when cold to brine` said contacts into engagement and expanded by current passing therethrough to permit said contacts to separate.

6. The mechanism for p rodiicing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member, in combination with a circuit containing lmeans for effecting the vibration of said member and a pulsator having `a pair of contacts, a device acting to withdraw one of said contacts from the other, angl a conductor acting when cold to eifect'the engagement of said contacts and expanded by current 'passing therethrough to permit the separation of said contacts.

" 7. The'mecnanism for producing musical sounds which'comprises a sonorous member, a main circuit containing an electro-magnet for effecting thu operation of said member, means for pulsating and regulating the current in said circuit, a shunt circuit around said electiomagnet, and means whereby said current is divided and a part thereof passed through said electro-magnet and the remaining part through said shunt circuit.

8. The mechanism for producing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member. a main circuit containing'an electro-magnet for eifecting the operation of said member. means for pulsating and regulating the current in said circuit, a shunt circuit, a key, and a set of contacts operated by said keyv whereby the performer can close said cir. cuits in succession and vary the amount of current passing through said magnet.

9. The mechanism for producing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member, a main circuit containing an electro-magnct for effecting the voperation of said member, means for pulsating and regulating the currentin said circuit, and means within the control of the performer for dividing said current and passin the desired portion thereof through .sai electro-magnet` said means last named comprising severalshuntcircuits having different resistances; resilient contacts whereby said shunt circuits are made and broken, and a key whereby said contacts are operated in succession to regulate the amount of current passing through said electro-magnet and the amplitude of vibration of said sonorous member. 10. The mechanism for producing musical sounds which comprises a sonorous member; a main circuit containing a pair of contacts for making and breaking it, an electrosmagnet for actuating said sonorous member, and means for regulating and pulsating the current; several shunt circuits having different resistances and contacts whereby they Aare adaptedto be connected in succession with said main circuit, and a key whereby said contacts are operated in succession for the purpose of varying the amount of current supplied to said electromagnet and the 'amplitude of vibration of said sonorous member produced thereby.

11.'.l`he mechanism for producing musicalsounds which comprises a sonorous member; a circuit containing a pair of normally open resilient contacts for making and breaking it, an electro-magnet for actuating said sonorous member, and means for regulating and pulsating the current; several shunt circuits having different resistaiiccs, resilient contacts normally closed, and a resilient contact connected with said contacts last named and normally separated from said contacts first named, and a key which is operable rst to close said first named contacts, second, to connect said first les 4 insiemi named contacts with said third named contacts, and then to open seid second-named contacts in successiom'Whereby a grsduaiiy changing amount of current is passed to said electro-magnet, land a gradually changing voiume of sound is produced by the sonorous member.

l2. The mechanism for producing n1usical 'sounds which comprises a sonorous member; a main circuit containing e. pair of normeiiy open contacts for controlling it, en electro-magnet for eii'ecting the vibre.- tion of seidsonorous member, and ineens for pulsating and regulating the current; severai shunt circuits containing different resistances, normaily closed contucts, and means comprising e. switch for connecting i said lust named 'contacts with said mein cir- .nemedfcontacts with said Contact, and then. opens the contacts of seid shunt circuits in succession.

13. The mechanism for producing musicai sounds which comprises e sonorous member; s circuit containing an e1ectro-y Copies of this patent :may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, I). C.

magnet for attracting said member sind resilient contacts for contrciling seid eircuit; mechanism comprising a key for operating said contacts; mechanismfor supporting said contacts, und means for moving Said last named mechanism whereby said contacts are withdrawn from seid irst named mechanism.

14. The mechanism for producing musicei sounds which comprises u sonorous member; several circuits one of which contains en e1ectro-mugnet for actuating said Sonor-ous member; resilient contacts for controlling said circuits so as to very. the

vamount of current passing through said eiectro-magnet5 mechanism :tor operating said contacts, mechanism for supporting said contacts, and ineens lfor moving seid isst namedmechanism whereby said contants are Withdrawn ron'i position to be operated by said rst named mechanism.

in Witness whereof i here hereunto set my nume this 22 dey o September, A. D.

1909, in the presence ot the subscribing Wit-- nesses.

GEGRGE BREED. Vitnesses ROBERT ,JAMES EARLEY, Jos. G. DENNY. Jr.

Gommissioner of Patents 

